Over the last four years, Black Women Thriving East of the River has spurred hope in Wards 7 & 8 that residents, especially Black women, can thrive rather than merely endure the economic, health, and societal challenges plaguing their neighborhoods.
Through a trailblazing community engagement approach, the Jane Bancroft Robinson Foundation (JBRF) partnered with 28 women who lived in, led organizations in, or had close family ties to the community. They developed innovative strategies to improve employment opportunities and cancer survival among Black women in their community, including producing comprehensive workforce development and cancer navigation roadmaps.
Like many of our founding members, I have experienced the challenges of our community and benefitted from the efforts of Black women who made a way despite those challenges. I was born in public housing in Ward 8 before moving to Ward 7, graduating from Banneker High School, and attending Duke University. My family also struggled with limited access to high-quality healthcare, employment, and other vital community resources. The lived experiences of our founding members and our current team are central to the solutions we are now implementing.
Another critical piece of our work is addressing long-standing racial disparities. Black unemployment is seven times higher than white unemployment in DC, which has the worst Black-White unemployment gap in the country, according to the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). Data from the DC Department of Employment Services shows that Wards 7 and 8 have the highest unemployment rates, at 1 ½ times and two times the city’s average, respectively.
Healthcare systems are significant employers with high-demand jobs, many of which pay well. We are piloting a scholarship fund for Black women east of the river who are interested in health-related careers. Participants have diverse backgrounds, from those seeking training to become community health workers to those who desire to be doctors or hold supportive roles such as information technology. Our goal is to increase the number of Black women health providers, their career success, and ultimately, their influence on the care of other Black women.
We were awarded a grant of $ 1 million from the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund to use data, training, and advocacy to improve workforce development systems impacting Black women. The first phase includes identifying and helping healthcare employers implement best practices for hiring, retaining and helping Black women advance in health-related careers.
The DC Cancer Control plan found that there are more cancer cases and more people die from cancer in Wards 7 and 8. We are developing an enhanced model for supporting Black women cancer patients, helping them overcome systemic and life barriers that may delay treatment.
Additionally, our Patients Bill of Rights will help Black women access high-quality healthcare. For instance, some women don’t know they can ask for second opinions when questioning a doctor’s diagnosis. Many others don’t feel heard by their providers. We will raise awareness of what high-quality care looks like, help more Black women access that care, and identify ways that Black women can be heard and treated more equitably by healthcare providers.
Currently, six Community Ambassadors (CAs), Black women living east of the river, are helping increase awareness of the Bill of Rights among their community, family, friends, peers, and networks. The CAs are cancer survivors and caregivers, ranging from early 20s to 60s, helping promote our focus groups, provide feedback, and connect our team to community groups and other potential stakeholders in their networks. Further, we have established a Health Literacy Survey that the CAs are helping to distribute within their networks and facilitate community conversations.
We have only scratched the surface of the 20+ interventions our founding workgroup members developed. We are expanding our reach with community members and partners, implementing interventions, and raising contributions from the private sector, government, and individuals to expand this work. We are grateful for the continued investment of over $3 million from JBRF, the Health Equity Fund, and the Meyer Foundation over the next three years. Together, we will help Black women east of the river thrive and impact future generations.
Nakeisha Neal Jones, executive director of Black Women Thriving East of the River, is a collaborative leader with 20+ years of experience developing leaders and expanding access to community health, workforce development, and housing resources with under-represented communities.